Debate Bills Are Past Due In Atlanta

The City Has Only Raised $220,000 Of The $490,000 Needed To Pay For The Vice Presidential Debate It Hosted In October.

December 20, 1992|By Cox News Service

ATLANTA — Two months after the vice presidential debate at Georgia Tech, Atlanta has not paid all its bill for the event and may be the only city in the history of presidential debates not to cover the tab.

Several engineers and technicians who produced the Oct. 13 debate at the Georgia Tech Theatre for the Arts have not been paid because the Atlanta and Georgia Chambers of Commerce raised just $220,000 of the $490,000 needed to cover the costs.

Officials with the Bipartisan Commission on Presidential Debates, which organized the four televised events, said last week they had an oral contract with the two chambers to finance the production.

''It's a very real problem. . . . No one else is getting the bills I'm getting,'' said Janet Brown, executive director of the non-profit commission. ''This was broadcast literally around the world, and this brought an enormous amount of publicity that you can't put a dollar value on.''

The debate - the only one for vice presidential contenders - featured Republican Dan Quayle, Democrat Al Gore Jr. and independent James Stockdale.

If Atlanta fails to pay the bill, Brown said, the commission will be stuck with the tab. Georgia Tech did not incur any expenses because it donated use of the 1,200-seat theater.

''We made a commitment that we would do the best we can and the best we could right now is $220,000,'' said Charlie Harmon, president of the Georgia Chamber of Commerce.

Harmon said the Georgia and Atlanta chambers are planning a fund-raiser for January and hope to raise at least another $80,000.

Officials in St. Louis, Richmond, Va., and East Lansing, Mich., the host cities of the three 1992 presidential debates, all paid $500,000 for their debates with corporate donations before the election, officials said.